10 tips for decluttering your home or garage

Author: spencer February 11, 2017

Do you find yourself drowning in clutter? Are you wondering how to finally get things under control? Here are some tips on things you should do, as well as some things you should not do when decluttering.

5 tips on what NOT to do when decluttering:

Don’t think of decluttering as a one-time only activity, try to think of the process as a new system you will continue to use in the future. Expect regular upkeep and be glad that the new system is far more efficient than the old one.

You shouldn’t try to get it all done in one day. If you do spend all day on it, you will start getting more frustrated and less efficient with each hour you spend. Each day, try to spend a few (2 or 3) hours on a single part of the project. This way you won’t get burned out by the process.

Don’t waste your hard-earned money. Organize everything before you start buying any storage containers. This way, you will be sure to only buy the items you really need. If you buy first, you will likely end up with unneeded storage containers that actually further clutter your space.

Try not to move onto another task before you complete one that is already started. It is crucial that once you have decided where something is going to go, take it there right away. If you don’t get rid of everything as you deal with it, the clutter pile just keeps moving around the home in a vicious cycle.

Finally, don’t overwork yourself. You will have to realize that at a certain point, good enough really is good enough. You don’t need everything to be perfect, you just need your space to look decent and function well based upon your needs. If perfection is your goal, you will always be disappointed in the end.

5 tips on what to do when decluttering:

Start today. If you wait for the perfect time to start decluttering, you won’t ever get it done. Make a weekly schedule, break each area up into its own mini-project, and stick to the schedule until it’s completely done.

Ask yourself these questions when you consider keeping something. Have you used it in the past year? Will you use it in the future? Do you still have an interest in it? What is the value of keeping it vs. the downfalls of keeping it?

Start from the top of the house and work towards the bottom. The attic or top floor is a wonderful place to begin. Save the basement or garage for last. Also, try to take each room, and start from the center, working your way out to the walls. If you use this approach, you maximize your efficiency.

If a certain room looks overwhelming, simply grab and go, making small piles. This approach helps you break the project into smaller, more manageable portions to process gradually.

Move everything into its own specific category and then label it with small signs. Some examples you could use include (trash, recycle, kitchen, office, basement). This ensures that everything is kept neat and in a certain order for the entire duration of the project.

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